The present invention relates to a colloidal facial mask with a partial carrier and a method for manufacturing the same, especially to a colloidal facial mask having a colloidal layer and a carrier layer attached to at least one partial area of one surface of the colloidal layer while the rest area of the colloidal is not covered by the carrier layer.
Generally, the colloidal facial mask is divided into two types while in use-without carriers or with carriers. The colloidal facial mask without carriers includes only a colloidal layer with a certain thickness such as alginate layer, but not limited, while the colloidal facial mask with carriers consists of a colloidal layer with a certain thickness and a carrier layer made from non-woven fabric (not limited) connected to each other. The carrier layer is connected to and integrated with the colloidal layer so that the two layers are unable or difficult to be separated. In the present invention, the colloidal facial mask is with carriers.
A conventional colloidal facial mask is formed by a colloidal layer and a carrier layer. The colloidal layer is made from colloidal film materials with high water absorption such as alginate, polymer gel, bio-cellulose, etc. so as to absorb solutions such as whitening agents or anti-wrinkle agent for cosmetic use. The carrier layer can be made from knitted fabric such as lace fabric, woven fabric, Jacquard fabric, etc or non-woven fabric but not limited. The carrier layer is attached and connected to whole surface of the colloidal layer (the surface here is defined as a rear surface). While in use, the user extends the colloidal facial mask and set a front surface of the colloidal layer (opposite to the rear surface with the carrier layer) on the face. Thus the solutions for cosmetic use container in the colloidal layer are contacted with and acted on the facial skin. Moreover, the shape of the conventional colloidal facial mask is not limited. It can be a half-face type, or full-face type. The full-face type covers the whole face while the half-face type covers a part of the face such as an upper face (including an eye part or a nose part) or a lower face (including a mouth part).
The colloidal facial masks are quite popular on the market so that both manufacturers and users (consumers) are concerned about development and improvement of the related techniques in following respects. (1) effect- how to make facial masks for cosmetic use have better effect? (2) convenience in use: how to allow users use facial masks more conveniently? (3) safety in use: how to improve safety and quality of facial masks? For example, whether the microorganism growth is effectively controlled or not. Is the facial mask preservative free? Do the materials for the facial mask match requirements for environmental protection? (4) appearance: how to provide users more options and let them have the desire of buying? (5) brand recognition: how to increase brand recognition and brand identity of users? (6) cost and price: how to mass-produce facial masks and increase their economic benefits. According to the different aspects mentioned above, the conventional colloidal facial mask in which the carrier layer is directly attached to the whole rear surface of the colloidal surface has following problems and shortcomings.
(1) The colloidal facial mask is attached to the face of the user but an eye part, a nose part, and a mouth part of the user are unable to be covered. Thus the colloidal facial mask is mounted with through holes corresponding to the eye part, the nose part, and the mouth part so that the eye, the nose part, and the mouth part are exposed. However, the through holes become fragile parts on the structure of the colloidal facial mask. Thus these parts are easy to be cracked or get broken when the user extends and puts the colloidal facial mask on the face.
(2) The carrier layer in the conventional colloidal facial mask is attached to the rear surface of the colloidal layer smoothly and used for reinforcing mechanical strength of the colloidal layer. When the carrier layer is made from materials with a certain thickness such as non-woven fabric, the colloidal facial mask is unable to be attached to projecting parts such as the eye part, the nose part, and the mouth part smoothly and completely. Thus the colloidal facial mask is easy to be released from the user's face in use. When the carrier layer is made from thin and light materials such as knitted fabric such as lace fabric, woven fabric, Jacquard fabric etc, the problem of insufficient attachment can be solved. However, the materials and manufacturing cost of the knitted fabric are higher. And the knitted fabric is only used as the carrier layer without additional functions and is discarded along with the colloidal facial mask after use. This causes a kind of waste and has negative effects on the market competitiveness of the colloidal facial mask.
(3) The conventional techniques used fro manufacturing the colloidal facial mask includes casting and continuous formation. Casting is a process by which materials for the colloidal layer and carrier layer are respectively poured into a mold, which contains at least one hollow cavity of the desired shape of the facial mask. Then a colloidal facial mask is solidified and molded. Although this method saves more materials for different layers, the method is not suitable for mass-production, especially for colloidal facial masks made from alginate. The continuous formation includes following steps. First a continuous long-strip base material having a colloidal layer and a carrier layer is produced. For example, the colloidal layer and the carrier layer are attached and connected on a conveyor. Then get a colloidal facial mask by cutting the continuous long-strip base material. This process uses more materials for the colloidal layer and the carrier layer. Yet this process is suitable for mass-production, especially for colloidal facial masks made from alginate. Therefore how to avoid the waste of the materials for the colloidal layer and the carrier layer (especially the carrier layer made from knitted fabric) becomes an important issue when manufactures intend to use the continuous formation for mass production.
(4) As to the colloidal facial masks available on the market now, the words or patterns related to manufacturers, brand logos, place of manufacturing, compositions, etc. are all labeled on the packing boxes (bags). After the colloidal facial mask being taken out or the user/consumer puts the facial mask on the face, the user/consumer is difficult to differentiate colloidal facial masks of different brands because the shapes or appearances of the colloidal facial masks of different brands are nearly the same. This has negative effects on marketing and management of the manufactures' brands, as well as the users' selection and brand identity. Moreover, this may result in unnecessary disputes in the future. For example, the user/consumer buys two brands of colloidal facial masks with different cosmetic effects (or different prices). After use, the user finds that one of the two masks is unable to achieve the expected cosmetic effect (as shown in the advertisement). Now the user is unable to find out the source of the colloidal facial masks after use if the shapes or appearances of the colloidal facial masks are having no features or special designs and difficult to be differentiated. Once the user/consumer intends to find out who should be accountable for the failure or request for the services, he/she is easy to have conflicts with the sellers. Thus bad money drives out good and the market share of good products is affected.
Refer to U.S. Pat. No. 6,080,420, U.S. Pat. No. 6,258,995, U.S. Pat. No. 6,203,845, U.S. Pat. No. 6,201,164, U.S. Pat. No. 6,372,248, U.S. Pat. No. 6,326,524, U.S. Pat. No. 5,144,016, U.S. Pat. No. 5,230,853, U.S. Pat. No. 5,622,666, U.S. Pat. No. 5,660,857, U.S. Pat. No. 5,675,957, U.S. Pat. No. 5,144,016, US2005/0287193, US2010/0227164; PCT/GB 9502284(WO96/10106), PCT/GB 9601719(WO97/03710), PCT/GB 9701098(WO97/39781), PCT/DK 9700292(WO98/02196), WO2008/072817, WO03092754, EP2111926A1(WO2008/0090892, PCT/JP2008/050822); JP2010-189386, WO99/20378A1, these are all prior arts related to facial masks. However, most of these prior arts provide no technical solutions for problems and shortcomings mentioned above.
Furthermore, the structural design of the colloidal facial mask that solves the problems mentioned above may cause certain problems during manufacturing processes of the colloidal facial masks. For example, an apparatus and a method for manufacturing facial masks revealed in EP2111926A1 are quite complicated. Moreover, the films are not continuously manufactured during the processes. Thus the facial masks are difficult to be mass-produced.
There is room for improvement and a need to provide a new design of a facial mask and a method for manufacturing the same that overcome the shortcomings and solve the problems mentioned above.